Blog | HPRG A nocturnal walk with giant illuminated dinosaurs in the Jardin des Plantes until 19th January 2025 – Hotels Paris Rive Gauche Blog
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A nocturnal walk with giant illuminated dinosaurs in the Jardin des Plantes until 19th January 2025

Christmas 2024 in Paris, newsletter - eng, Our favourite things

Back for its sixth season, this crazy event (called Jurassique en voie d’illumination – or Jurassic Illuminated) is a nocturnal walk around the Jardin des Plantes, not far from our hotels, with huge, illuminated, animated Chinese lanterns in the form of dinosaurs. Not to be missed! Grrr!

Jurassic Illuminated is a great activity for all the family during the festive period.

Beinf able to enter the Jardin des Plantes after nightfall is magical enough, but with dozens of huge illuminated moving beasts makes it something absolutely unique!

Get ready to travel back 200 million years to a time of extraordinary colourful animals…

The visit has five main sections (and don’t expect a Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops or even flowers and grass – they all came later):

— In the Ocean, the Lower Jurassic period. We start our visit out at sea, 300 metres below the surface, with plesiosauroids and ichthyosaurs,

— 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Middle Jurassic era, at the very bottom of the ocean with animals who can handle the extreme conditions, such as squid and jellyfish,

— The Mysterious Island. The Upper Jurassic era, with pterosaurs and archaeopteryx.

— The Valley of Marvels, a wooded valley with a river. Even without flowers, you’ll see that the plants and creatures here are remarkable, and

— The Swamp Dwellers, at the end of the Jurassic period and the beginning of the Cretaceous era, with ostrich dinosaurs and 40-ton turiasaurus, one of which awaits you – full size! – at the end of the visit. 🦕

If you speak a little French, the Natural History Museum (that looks after the Jardin des Plantes) has a whole page of ressources you can pore over to learn more about the Jurassic period and the creatures that existed at the time. You’ll find it here.

Jurassic Illuminated is in the Jardin des Plantes (here) until 19th January 2025

Outside of French school holidays, open Wednesday-Sunday, 6-10pm (last ticket at 9pm)

During the French school holidays (21st December 2024 – 5th January 2025), open every day from 6-10pm, including the evenings of 25 & 31st December 2024, and the 1st January 2025

Closed 24th December

Admission: 18€ (13 yrs old and up) / 15€ (booking obligatory – online tickets here)

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